1-1/4" EMT bender deduct and take-up
By Andrew ·
Quick answer
The deduct for 1-1/4" EMT on most hand benders is 11", the largest of the common hand sizes and 3" more than 1". Subtract it from the stub length, mark the conduit from its end, and line the mark up with the arrow. A 30" stub is marked at 19". Confirm the figure on your own bender.
1-1/4" EMT deduct by bender
Most hand benders deduct 11" for 1-1/4" EMT.
| Bender | Deduct (take-up) | Centerline radius |
|---|---|---|
| Greenlee aluminum hand bender | 11" | 9 5/8" |
| Greenlee iron hand bender | 11" | 9 5/8" |
| IDEAL ductile iron hand bender | 11" | 7 1/4" |
| Klein Tools iron hand bender | 11" | 7 1/4" |
| Greenlee 882 (Hydraulic, Flip-Top) | 11 5/8" | 7 1/4" |
| Greenlee 1818 (Mechanical) | 12 5/8" | 8 5/16" |
| Gardner Bender B2000 Cyclone (Large combo shoe) | 13" | 7 7/8" |
| Current Tools 77 Series (Multi-shoe) | 13 1/8" | 8 3/4" |
| Gardner Bender Electric Sidewinder (Multiple 180° shoes) | 13 1/8" | 8 3/4" |
| Greenlee 555 (Multi-shoe) | 13 1/8" | 8 3/4" |
| Gardner Bender Sidewinder (Mechanical, Chicago-style) | 13 1/4" | 9 15/16" |
| iToolco B2 Rapid Fire (Large combo shoe) | 13 1/2" | 8 1/4" |
| Current Tools 747 Omni (Combo shoe) | 13 5/8" | 8 13/16" |
| Current Tools 77 Series (Single shoe) | 13 5/8" | 8 13/16" |
| Greenlee 555 (Combo shoe) | 13 5/8" | 8 13/16" |
| Greenlee 555 (Single shoe) | 13 5/8" | 8 13/16" |
| Greenlee 854DX (Large combo shoe) | 14 1/4" | 8 1/4" |
| Greenlee 855GX (Standard shoe) | 14 3/8" | 8 1/4" |
The biggest hand bender, the biggest deduct
One and a quarter inch is the top of what a hand bender takes in EMT. The shoe radius is large, the pipe is fat, and the deduct is 11": the back of the finished 90 sits that far from the arrow. Because the number is so big, a stub of 11" or less cannot be bent at all with the mark on the arrow.
| Stub length | Mark at |
|---|---|
| 12" | 1" |
| 18" | 7" |
| 24" | 13" |
| 30" | 19" |
| 36" | 25" |
| 48" | 37" |
Which hand benders go this large
Not every brand makes a 1-1/4" hand bender, and the ones that do are heavy cast iron heads. Plenty of crews skip hand bending at this size and use an electric or hydraulic bender instead. If you do bend it by hand, expect the head to be long and the effort to be considerable.
The more a bender is built for large conduit, the more the printed number matters, because an inch or two of error is easy to make at this size. Take the deduct from your bender’s head or manual rather than from a table.
Worked example and how to confirm
- Stub length
- 30"
- Deduct
- 11"
- Mark at
- 19"
- Find the deduct on the head or in the manual, and write it on the handle with a marker.
- Bend a 90 in a short piece, marked at 19" for a 30" stub, and measure from the end to the back of the bend.
- Treat any difference as a correction to the deduct. Mixing up sizes costs you the difference: marking 1-1/4" with the 8" for 1" leaves the stub 3" long.
Reading the deduct for large stubs
For a 11" deduct the arithmetic is simple but the stakes are higher. A 36" stub is marked at 25", a 48" stub at 37". A slip of an inch on a long stub is easy to miss with the tape, so measure twice from the same end.
Get the marks for your bender
BendMate works this out from your bender’s radius and deduct, flags a bend that won’t work, and shows you every mark.
Common questions
What is the deduct for 1-1/4 inch EMT?
11" on most hand benders, 3" more than 1" EMT. Subtract it from the stub length for the mark.
How do I mark a 30 inch stub in 1-1/4 EMT?
Subtract the deduct: 30" minus 11" is 19". Mark that from the end, line it up with the arrow and bend to 90°.
Can I bend 1-1/4 EMT by hand?
Yes, with the right head, but it is heavy work and few brands make one. Many electricians use an electric or hydraulic bender at this size.